The Best Watches At SIHH 2016

These Fine Timepieces Will Give You Serious Watch Envy

This article was originally published by AskMen UK — so don't mind the references to things like "pounds," "chaps" and "packets of crisps," whatever those are.

"I've got a major wrist boner."

Call us prudes, but that's not the kind of language we expect to overhear at a showcase for luxury watches. Nevertheless, one clearly excited gentleman (he was Australian) couldn't hide his attraction to the timepieces on display at SIHH 2016, the trade fair held in Geneva last week where some of the world's greatest watchmakers exhibit their creations.

We can't blame the guy. If you're turned on by a mechanical movement, attending SIHH is the equivalent of having front row seats at a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. There's an awful lot of precious metal on display. Every tourbillon gives you the wink as you walk by, while peekaboo skeleton models let you see everything. You're even encouraged to touch...

Of course, here at AskMen we're as much about substance as we are about good looks. So what follows is not just a list of beautiful timepieces, but a selection that will arouse your horological funny bone, too.

Drive de Cartier

Cartier

Cartier dropped its new cushion-shaped watch at SIHH to much nodding of heads and general approval. The Drive is available in seven different references – a day/night indicator here, a flying tourbillon there – all of which are gorgeous and retain the brand's statement Roman numerals. If you're in the market for a high-end dress watch that will turn heads, you could do a lot worse. Especially in rose gold, in our humble opinion.

IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII

IWC

IWC's revamped line of pilot's watches is quite the squadron, with perhaps more new pieces taking off than any other brand at SIHH. One that caught our eye was this elegant 40mm steel number. As an entry-level mechanical watch, it's hard to fault with a 42-hour power reserve, water- and pressure-resistance, plus a soft iron inner case to ward off magnetic fields. The stark dial is available in black or silver with either a steel or calfskin strap. This is simple and classic, done exceptionally well. *Insert your own Top Gun/wingman punchline here*

Parmigiani Fleurier Senfine Concept Watch

Parmigiani Fleurier

This is a prototype rather than something you can buy, but good God it caused a stir. Here's why: this is a mechanical watch with a 70-day power reserve. Seventy days is a veritable aeon compared to the rest of the market – hours is the usual metric by which you normally measure how long your watch will keep on ticking. You'd only have to wind this model a handful of times a year, as opposed to a few times every week. Already eight years in the making at Parmigiani Fleurier, it's the kind of technical leap forward that makes a watch aficionado go all weak in the knees.

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Collection Twincounter Date

In its 110th year, there was much to get excited about in Montblanc's collection, but we've picked out one of their entry-level models here. Why? Because a phrase kept being repeated among the excitable watch nerds at this booth: "You get a lot of watch for your money." Specifically in this model, we're talking about an automatic winding movement, the unusual date dial at three o'clock and drool-worthy red gold and blue hands set against a suave and silvery dial. Seldomly will you get all that for around £2,000.

Royal Oak Chronograph Yellow Gold

Rose gold has been dominant in recent years, resigning its yellow-y cousin to something of a Marmite choice (although perhaps it always was). Audemars Piguet broke ranks at SIHH, with a new line of its famous Royal Oak in yellow gold. The design has been around since the 70s but this feels like a solid and very modern timepiece – the chronograph above has an in-house movement and small seconds complication, and there's something about the contrast between the gold and that deep blue dial.

MB&F HM6

The rep we spoke to at MB&F admitted that this model was "utterly irrational" but that's what MB&F excel in. The star of the brand's latest Horological Machine is its movement, which features no less than 475 components that drive the revolving hour and minute spheres seen in the bottom two corners, while the flying tourbillon steals the show at the centre of the dial. To show off its intricacy, the movement is sandwiched in bulbous sapphire crystal that took the manufacturers 350 hours to shape. Available in red gold and platinum, it's limited to 10 pieces each.

A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin

A little under 6mm thin, this is the flattest model that A. Lange and Sohne has ever produced. Available in 18-carat pink or white gold, if you're looking for a something simple and elegant – which belies some serious watchmaking kudos – this is just the (slimline) tonic.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Gyrotourbillon

The famous Reverso (known for having two dials on either side of the watch) is 85 years old this year, so it was only natural for Jaeger-LeCoultre to add a few family members. We spotted the Classic in a number of sizes (all suitably classy and desirable) but you really have to see this model: the Tribute Gyrotourbillon. Inside the platinum case, front and centre of the open dial is co-axial flying tourbillon, which rotates as if it's hovering in mid-air. Completely hypnotic to look at, it's limited to 75 pieces and will cost roughly the same as the average British house. Sorry.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph

Sports watches were in short supply at SIHH but Vacheron Constantin flexed its muscle with this chronograph as part of the newly revamped Overseas collection. Featuring a new in-house movement (five years in the making, 263 components), it has a 52-hour power reserve in a 42mm case. Also impressive (and long overdue from luxury watchmakers) is the fact that the range comes with interchangeable bracelets and straps that you can remove yourself, in seconds, without having to go into a boutique or whip out a specialist toolkit.

Panerai Radomir 1940 3 Days Automatic

Another old-but-new design, Panerai's Radomir owes much to designs of the 1940s. Another of the few sports watches we spotted, this is still smarter than your average weekend timepiece, with a nice small-seconds complication at 9 o'clock. For the horologically curious, the oscillating weight is set off-centre but inside Panerai's in-house movement. That makes the calibre itself less than 4mm thick.